March 2007 - even though it hasn't actually arrived, some of us have (iyswim)

[CallieNewMum]

Here we go girls - Amie, Kiwi, Dixia, Flannelettepyjamas, we can start comparing motherhood notes on this one and wait for the others to arrive one by one. Although I suspect the other thread will be our home until there's critical mass. To those of you still waiting to join the post-natal people - get a move on!!

Kitty - dd and ds1 are both addicts!

Muppet, I'm having to ration the usage, it's mad. They want to be full members, but i'm a bit stingy. Are yours? Is it worth it?

Kitty and Muppet - DS is addicted and so are his two bestest friends. When we went to Morocco in Oct he was allowed 30 minutes on it each day on the hotel PC and he played alongside his friends penguins - him in Morocco, them in London! Spooky

Its great fun isn't it?

Muppet - how are your boobs? My milk seized up in the infected one for two days so put lots of heat treatments etc on. There is milk now but still not quite up to scratch.

Muppet/Fox, astitis is a killer isn't it? As I said at the time, it took the milk from my right boob completely, as LO wouldn't feed off me for a few days and expressing didn't seem to be enough for it. I'm just staggered by how many complications there are in the way of bfing. It's like, this is supposed to be the "most natural thing" - in that case, WHY is it so bloody hard? I know I had a small baby and quickish labour so perhaps don't have the total picture here, but it seems like childbirth itself is not the most difficult thing about having a baby, although that's what everyone goes on about before you have one. Even if you have a horrendous labour, at least it will end, whereas bfing, lack of sleep etc goes on and on and on (if you are lucky with the bfing that is). Rant now over. Oh yes, and does anybody else's nipples bleed? I'm still feeding Jordi on left boob as there is some feeling in that one and little bits of milk (very little but still) and my nipple bleeds quite often. I've got a scab there at the moment - nice.

I've just come back from paediatric outpatients for his first hospital check-up since leaving, and he is now a staggering 8lb 4oz - double his birth weight. I took him up to the neonatal unit to say hello too and saw my favourite nurse which I was really pleased about. They all said how much he had grown and were delighted for me, so that was really nice. Saw one of the mums who came in about 2 weeks before I left with a 29weeker and she is still there 7.5 weeks and heart surgery later, still in intensive care with some way to go yet, and once again I thanked my lucky stars things weren't worse for us.

Off to find birth stories if there are any. Still can't get over Jay's 11lb 2oz baby!!

I've updated the arrivals thread with the latest LOs.

11 lbs 2 ozs? Good lord!

Sorry for those with Mastitis, can't be fun.

Callie - wow! that's great going! I go on thursday to get Joseph weighed, I'm thinking he may be almost 7lbs! He's been eating like a beast the past few days... still no kinda routine apart from its frequent!

Muppets, Leo and Toby also have conjunctivitis. Don't seem to be able to shift it, they have been on drops for a week now!
What exercises are you doing for the separated stomach muscles. Its quiet scary isn't it!
I hope the mastitis clears, poor you its horrible! Here they swear by quark packs to help clear it.
I am whispering very quietly that bf is going very well here, i check maticulously every day in the shower for any lumps or hard bits but I know it can creep up on you very quickly!

11lb 2 oz, wow!!!! I got two for the weight of her one! That really is impressive! Congratulations Jay!!!!!

muppet and leo - use breast milk for their gunky eyes - really works - someone told me nad I even expressed some and used it to wash dd1's eyes when they were gunky - brilliant. If you are cack handed like me and can't get it in their eyes - just express some and use it on a cloth to wipe their eyes.

Yes, the lovely mw in hospital told me to put breast milk on Hasan's eye. He has one gunky one. It cleared but is gunky again this morning, so will have to squirt him in the eye again!

My boobs are uncomfortable at the moment and you lot are making me think I must be sure to clear the lumps if I can.

I bet dd will be addicted to the penguin club in a year or two!
Still having to measure my weesthis morning I did a pint! so it seems my bladder is back to full capacity!

Dh is away again now and last night I had 3 little children in bed with me like a litter of puppies!
I'm firmly in the co-sleeping club...since Hasan was born he wouldn't settle until he was cuddled beside me, then he sleeps for 3 or so hours at a time which is a dream for me! Respect to you Leo...bfeeding two! You are a star.

My folks are still around until thursday, then I'll have to join the real world and start managing alone with the children!

Agree with Eids & Rosy - BM in the eyes - it will sort out adult eye infections too

well i'm feeling much less fluey today so assume the abs are doing their job... don't want to tempt fate but there still seems to be some milk coming from the mastitis side - keep putting Samuel to that one more than the other... we shall see...

Will try the bm in the eye too as drops aren.t doing much and bm is more readily to hand!

Leo - the tummy exercise is to lie on your back or side and pull in your lower tummy - ie just above your pubic bone. Try to imagine you're putting on a really tight pair of jeans... and hold it for 10 secs. Do this 10 times, 5 times a day! Apparantly i'll never close it up completely and can only hope for a gap of 1 - 2 fingers at best!

Havent let ds1 and dd have full membership on penguins as i too am quite stingy! Also they seem to be on so many of these sorts of things i figure they are far from deprived!

Muppet - keep feeding on the infected side, as it will help clear the blockage. Its also useful to have warm baths (or put a hot water bottle on the breast) and do lots of arm swinging type movements to get the blood flow going and help it heal more quickly.

Callie - agree with you about BF - why is so bloody hard? I just think its a lost skill and we have no one to teach us anymore. 100 years ago we'd know all the tricks to avoid blockages, keep milk flowing etc but instead of having our extended families teach us we now have to rely on dribs and drabs of info picked up from other Mums, the internet or from midwives. Good for you for persevering with your good breast - Jordi is getting all the benefits of your milk still - he's grown so much - wow!!!

I can't believe my locjia is still hanging around - keeps going then I get a big sudden splurge!

Rosy - Have a lovely vision of your "puppies" in the bed I've co slept with all mine too and love it. I find it really comforting and one of the best things about having a baby. I just love waking to find my little one snuggled up against me, snuffling away. He sleeps so much better in my bed than in his cot. I'd love to say that I feed him while I'm asleep but I've never quite mastered that one...

Oooh club penguin - we've never paid the membership subscription either - they can still enjoy all the games without the subscription. Strikes me that membership entitles you to but stuff from them, which would mean even more outlay

Wow, breast milk is wonder fluid isn't it? Qucik hello before I take LO into work finally to show him off - unfortunately he's got an almighty spot on his right cheek and he's scratched himself on both sides of the face... Oh well! Have any of your lot got spots? I thought they were starting to clear so was disappointed when this one appeared.

Callie - DD was covered in milk spots for weeks and Monti is now starting to get them. Plays havoc with when you want to take nice piccies doesn't it?

Yes, Samuel's got his fair share of spots now... in addition to his gunky eyes he is not going to win any bonny baby competitions!!

Hello everyone

Am back from kings with the most beautiful girl - totally biased of course but she is wonderful and I am very happy. Haven't read what's been going on but will do shortly.

Hope you are all well and enjoying your babies.

XXXX

Well done Dolly!

Muppet - well, Monti may be a spotty pealing baby, but he's my spotty pealing baby

Sorry to be a BF bore but my nips are slowly improving now. Milk still slow on left and Monti keeps gnawing on it when he can't get the milk our fast enough (ouch!)

Muppet - have your AB's kicked in yet?

Very quiet on here today - everyone babymooning

Yes thanks Foxy... feel like a new woman this eve! Everyone should have a nice healthy dose of antibiotics to sort them out!!!

Fox and Muppet, I'm glad it's slowly improving on the boob front. I was so engorged yesterday. Poor Hasan could hardly cope.

Dolly you sound in great form, I know the feeling When I read the antenatal thread and everyone is still struggling as I was last week and then over here everyone is struggling in new ways but insanely happy and in love

On sunday I had a feast of mouldy cheese and it was pure bliss!

All my insides are slowly finding their place again and I'm starting to feel human. Still having to work with the spd carefully. My sister had it for 2 weeks after labour and then it went so here's hoping.

I'm getting great sleeps! I wasn't expecting that AT ALL long may it continue touch wood (pats head)

Thanks for the tip on the breast milk for the eyes. I had a half hearted go at it before getting the drops. I'm going to give it another proper go now.

Rosy, I missed why you have to measure your pee! uuuurgh!
The muscles below my belly button seem to be OK, its the ones above that are really, really bad. that they will probably never be very good again.
I'm proud of myself for the breastfeeding, I don't think I could have managed if it was my first child though, I struggled with ds1 but now I think its much easier for me than doing bottles would be! And i had loads of support from some people here on MN which helped.

Fox - I agree that bfeeding is a lost skill as is natural childbirth ! The doctor that delivered my babies admitted that they have lost the skills to deliver a breech twin as they don't do it anymore.

Congratulations Dolly !

congrats Dolly

dd2 had milk spots and was a scratcher - just put socks over her hands.

Leo - try the exercises - honestly! the muscles below my belly button are fine - it is the ones above that which have split - but for some reason the exercise pulls those ones in - even though you think you've not used them... i'm sure i'm noticing some improvement... give it a go!!!

AB's defo shifting this mastitis... just hope the old milk supply keeps up now...

Rosy - that engorgement is just mad isn't it you feel like you have concrete boobs... i hope your spd improves... maybe Jay's noticing some improvement by now too?

Have started doing the breast milk in eyes and i do believe it is working!!

rosy - i still have spd too

leo - am proud of you with those twins - r u getting much sleep

monti on lap hence 1 finger typing